Card-cutting machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1;

M. MERIAM.

CARD CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 427,098. Patented May 6, 1890.

WITNESSES. lNVENTOR.

W WW fiQ-W 777 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. MERIAM.

. CARD CUTTINGMAGHINE. No. 427,098. Paitented May 6, 1890.

TIT-TIE- WITNESSES.- INVENTOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 (No Model.)

M. MERIAM. CARD CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 427,098.. Patenteul ay 6, 1890. IT. 5

INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

MARSHALL MERIAM, OF EAST PEPPERELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARD-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,098, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed July 8, 1889- Serial No. 316,902. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, lVIARSHALL MERIAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Pepperell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Outting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a machine for cutting up paper or card-board into any desired length; but it may also be used for cutting any flexible material where a clean square cut is desired-as, for example, leather.

The object of my invention is to produce a machine that will save labor and feed and cut the card-board automatically.

lVith this end in view my invention consists in the novel mechanism and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figurel is a side elevation of my machine. Fig. 2 is a section of the table on the line 00 0: immediately in front of the cutting-wheel, showing the main shaft. Fig. 8 is a plan view, and Fig. 4.- is a detail side view, partly in section, of the lock in the center of the table.

A is a table, in the sloping top of which the card-board is run to be cut, and to the legs of which are fastened journal boxes B B wherein is journaled the principal shaft B,

' which communicates motion to the operating parts.

0 is a chute, down which the card-board.

passes after being dried on hot rollers, and at the bottom of the chute and top of the inclined table is the cutting mechanism, which consists of a binder d and a cuttingavheel E, and other parts, more fully described hereinafter. Binder d is a horizontal cross-piece, preferably of wood, which is reciprocated in a Vertical direction bya pitman cl, connected to it by the bolt-and-nut arrangement shown, so that it alternately binds and releases the strip of card-board. The pitmen d are operated by eccentric cams on the principal shaft B. i

The carriage E, in which is journaled the which they are fastened.

cutting-wheel E, is perforated to fit the guide bar 6, on which it is reciprocated by the wire cable 6 which passes around stationary vertical pulleys F at either end of the cuttingtrack e, on which the cutting-wheel bears, and are actuated by a drum or Windlass F, to The means of rotatin g this drum will be described later.

f are upright blocks for guiding the card down the table, and the distance between them may be adjusted by means of the thumbscrews f on bolts passing through the slots f A preferred form of drawing off mechanism will now be described.

Journaled into the table-top parallel to the path of the cutting-wheel are two pairs of rollers Ct to and a a, two near the upper edge, and the other two near the lower edge, all turned in the same direction by the pulley A and the belts G running over the pulley G. On these rollers two endless aprons A of canvas or other flexible material, run and serve to carry the card-board down to the lock L and to throwit off the table when it is cut off and released by the catch M. Two rods 11, raised above the canvas aprons, cross the table and support at their center a plate J, rigidly attached to them,which carries the locking and starting device to be now de scribed.

To the under side of the plate J is fastened a block K by means of bolts projecting through the slots 3' and thumb-screws 21, by this means adapting it to be fastened at any desired distance from the cutting-wheel Z in the metal strip and is pressed against.

the central rod P by the before-mentioned spring Z. Rigidly fastened to the lock L is a sliding catch M, consisting of a U-shaped piece embracing the lever and provided at the end of thesides with lugs m, extending at right angles to the sides of the U, in the ends of which are perforations n for receiving the ends of the cord N, which passes over the plate J, for a purpose to be described later on. In the sides of the U-shaped portion are longitudinally extending slots 0. WVhen the catch is in place on the lever L, the U-shaped portion fits the same closely, and is held in an approximately vertical position by the studs m which slide in the slots 0, by this arrangement allowing the catch to drop until supported by the small wheel 'J attached to it coming in. contact with the tabletop.

The central rod P is provided with a movable catch 19, which can be set in any position along rod P by the thumb-screw p, which projects through the slot P in the plate J, so that the catch may be easily set from above. The central rod P is pivoted to a bell-crank lever Q in the front of the table, and the other arm of the lever is pivoted to the rod Q, running along the front of the machine and adjustably connected to the side lever B.

Ris a lever fulcrumed at R and connected at its free end with a link 0" by the headed pin or stud r on lever B working in the open slot in the link 7'. Said link is pivoted at B and is provided with a downwardly-projectin g pin r adapted to engage the oblique cam s, and a perpendicularshoulder R which engages the catch 8 on the flange S. A spring 0, connecting the lever B with the table, serves to throw the lever away from the flange S when the lock on the central plate J is sprung.

B is the main shaft, journaled at B and B and ending in a broad circular flange S, which is provided near its periphery and on the face next to the lever with a cam s, which consists of a portion perpendicular to the face of the flange, and an obliquely-flaring portion adapted to engage the before-mentioned pin 1' on the outside and draw it in toward the flange until the lock in the center of the table is again set. Diametrically opposite the cam and on the same face of the flange is a catch 8, at such a distance from the center of the flange as to engage the shoulder R on the lever 1' after the latter has been pulled over by cams s brushing the pin r 4 is a mutilated spur-wheel with three or four consecutive teeth removed, arranged to mesh with the spur at when the side lever B releases the catch on the flange, and the shaft is partially revolved by the weighted cam 9.

U is a driving-pulley mounted on the shaft 16, which is journaled at 17 and 18 and is provided with the spurgear at, and '7 are cams mounted on the main shaft B, which operate the binder cl by means of the pitmen d, and are so arranged that when the lock is sprung and the shaft revolved they immediately let the binder down upon the cardboard, and release it only after the cuttingwheel has passed across and come to rest.

9 is the cam just mentioned, weighted to throw the shaft into gear with the spur t when the side lever is drawn from the catch 8 on the flange S by the spring 0.

F is the drum before mentioned, which actuates the wire cables, is mounted on a vertieal shaft F and is revolved alternately to right and left, to effect which rotation I adopt the following device, though other forms of double clutch might be employed. Miterwheels g g are loosely mounted on the central shaft at such a distance apart as to mesh with the central bevel-wheel g, mounted on the upright shaft F Two clutches on either side of these miter-gears g g, each adapted to engage the gear next to it, run on keyways on the shaft and are connected by a rigid bar, so that one may be thrown into engagement and the other out by the shifter at the same time, said shifter being operated by the broken worm 2.

To raise the catch and release the cardboard, so that it may be thrown off the table by the canvas aprons, the following device is adopted: A rock-shaft V, with a crank-arm o, is j ournaled in supports on the central plate J, the crank-arm extending across the cutting-path, so as to engage the cuttingblock. A spool 1;,perforated to fit the rockshaft and having a thumb-screw tto set it in any position along the shaft, has the string N, which is connected to the catch M, attached to it, so that when the cutting-block strikes the end of the crank-arm the rock-shaft is revolved and the string is wound on the spool,

thus lifting the catch.

Having now described the preferred manner of constructing my invention, I will proceed to show its operation. The lock-block K is adjusted on the plate J so that the catch M is at a distance from the track of the cutting-wheel equal to the desired length of the card, and the movable catch 1) on the central rod P is moved to such a position that when it engages the bolt Z the side lever B will be forced over against the strain of the spring 0 to such a position that the shoulder R will engage the cam s on the flange S. The driv* ing-belt is then shifted onto the pulley 6, and the rollers a a are revolved by the belt and pulleys. The central shaft B has as yet received no motion, owing to the mutilated gear on spur 4 being held next spur 4: by the engagement of the shoulder R with cam 8. To start the machine, the card-board is slid down the chute onto the canvas aprons, which carry it against the catch M on the lever L, thus forcing the look back and withdrawing the bolt Z from engagement with catch p on the rod P. This rod is then pulled forward by the spring 0 acting on the lever B, which is pulled away from the flange S, so that the shoulder R releases the catch 5, and the central shaft is then revolved by the weighted cam 9 until the spurs 4: and 4 mesh. Cams 7 then draw the binder down on the cardboard, and one of the clutches is thrown into engagement by ,the broken worm 2. This revolves the drum F, which winds up one of the wire cables, at the same time unwinding the other, and the cutting-wheel is thus drawn across to the other end of its path, when the broken worm on the main shaft B unships the clutch, which has been thus far acting, and causes the other to engage its gear-wheel, which then revolves the drum in the opposite direction, and the cutting-wheel returns to its former position. As the carriage of the cutting-wheel passes the center of the table, it strikes the crank-arm v of the rock-shaft V, causing it to wind up the string at, attached to the spool 19, thus raising the catch M and allowing it to clear the edge of the card-board, so that the bolt Z of the lock L presses against the catch 1), ready to engage the same, when the central rod P, on which it is fastened, is pushed back by the side lever B and cam s on the flange S. This cam s is flaring, as we have said, so that as the flange S revolves it rubs or brushes past the pin 0* on the link R on the outside, thus drawing it toward the flange, and in so doing pulling over the lever B and shoving the central rod P until the catch 19 is engaged by the bolt Z as referred to above. The main shaft continues to revolve until the catch 3' comes in contact with the shoulder R when it stops as the mutilated gear on spur at is opposite the spur 4. hen the carriage E has struck and passed the crank of the rock-shaft, said crank again returns to the vertical position, thus unwinding the string and allowing the slide to drop, so that it rests on its wheel on the card-board and so offers no further resistance to its removal from the table by the canvas aprons,which then takes place, In the meantime the main shaft in returning to its position of rest, as before described, causes the cams to raise the binder, and the card-board may be again slid down the chute until the lock is sprung, and the operation will be repeated.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the construction of my machine without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; therefore I do not wish to limit my claims to the exact construction herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a feed-chute, drawing-off mechanism, and binder, substantially as described, of a track arranged across the chute, a cutting-wheel adapted to reciprocate upon the track, and mechanism, as described, for actuating said wheel, as and for the'purpose specified.

2. Ina paper-cutting machine, the combination of a reciprocating wheel and track, a

feed-chute and drawing off mechanism, a binder for holding the paper during the action of the wheel, an automatic measuring device, and 00-0 perat-in g mechanism, substantially as described, for actuating said parts, as set forth. I

3. In a card-cutting machine, the combination of a reciprocating cutting-wheel and track for the same, a table provided with a drawing-oif apron, a rock-shaft operated'by the cutting-wheel, a spring-lock pivoted above the table and connected with the rock-shaft, and stopping and release mechanism connected with the lock, whereby the paper is held, cut, and released, as and for the'purpose specified.

4. In a cardcutting machine, a cutting wheel mounted in a reciprocating carriage, in

combination with a guide-bar on which the carriage reciprocates, a cable fastened to said carriage, pulleys at either end of the guidebar, over which the cables pass, a drum mounted on a vertical shaft, on the lower end of which is mounted a bevel gear-wheel, and a main shaft provided with a double-clutch mechanism, broken worm, and shipper for giving the vertical shaft an alternative rotation, and mechanism for revolving the main shaft, substantially as described.

5. In a card-cutting machine, the combination of a reciprocating cutting-wheel, a binder and endless aprons, and mechanism, as described, for operating said binder, endless apron, and cutting-wheel, substantially as set forth.

6. In a card-cutting machine, a starting-and stopping device consisting of a spring-lock which engages a catch on a central rod, in combination with said rod and catch, a springactuated side lever which engages the flange on the main shaft, and said main shaft provided with a flange and weighted cam to throw int-o gear a mutilated spur, and a driving-shaft provided with a spur to engage said mutilated spur, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

7. In a card-cutting machine, a reciprocatin g cutting device, in combination with a starting and stopping lock. having a sliding catch, arock-shaftwith a crank end,which is adapted to be struck by the cutting device, a spool mounted on the rock-shaft, and a cord fastened to the said spool and to the sliding catch to raise the same, and mechamism for operating the cutting device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARSHALL MERIAM.

\Vitnesses:

P. A. HA MOND, L J. RowELL. 

